Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [60]
L’Embellie.
$$ | FRENCH | Sweet and simple, this spot lures diners with its modern, inventive attitude and friendly service. Chef François Proquin’s “creative regional” cuisine extends to his own smokehouse for salmon and duck, so the foie gras is homemade—he likes to serve it light, atop a mesclun salad. The menu is dependent on Proquin’s daily trips to markets, so don’t hesitate to try any of the fresh fish specials, such as the sea bass steamed in rosemary or other briny delights, such as John Dory laced with French West Indian spices. Pineapple croquant with rum-laced creole ice cream makes a fitting finale. | 14 rue Armand-Brossard | 44000 | 02–40–48–20–02 | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. and Mon., and Aug.
Villa Mon Rêve.
$$$ | FRENCH | This cozy, yellow-wall restaurant is in delightful parkland off the D751 east of Nantes. Chef Gérard Ryngel concocts elegantly inventive regional fare (try the pike-perch in Anjou red-wine sauce, or the frogs’ legs in Gros Plant white-wine sauce), with which you can sample one of more than 50 varieties of Muscadet, the local white wine. Request a table on the terrace when you reserve. | Levée Divatte, 506 bd. de la Loire, 8 km (5 mi) east of Nantes, | Basse-Goulaine | 44000 | 02–40–03–55–50 | www.villa-mon-reve.com | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Tues. and part of Feb. and Nov. No dinner Sun.
Pérouse.
$$–$$$ | Bare parquet floors, plain off-white walls, simple high-tech lighting, and minimal contemporary furnishings make rooms feel spacious, and earned the accolade of Europe’s Design Hotel of the Year in 1995, just after this big white cube of a hotel opened its doors. The spaces may be bare, but at least they are filled with furnishings by some great modern masters, such as Le Corbusier, Eileen Gray, and Gerrit Rietvield. The amiable staff speak fluent English. A pedestrian zone full of boutiques and restaurants is right outside the door, and Place Royale is 300 yards away. Pros: stylish decor; friendly staff. Cons: hard to park; no restaurant; noisy bar. | 3 allée Dusquesne | 44000 | 02–40–89–75–00 | www.hotel-laperouse.fr | 46 rooms | In-room: a/c, refrigerator, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: some pets allowed | AE, DC, MC, V | BP.
NIGHTLIFE AND THE ARTS IN NANTES
The informal Univers (16 rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau | 44000 | 02–40–73–49–55) has live jazz concerts every other week. Le Tie Break (1 rue des Petites-Écuries | 44000 | 02–40–47–77–00) is a popular piano bar. The Théâtre Graslin (1 rue Molière | 44000 | 02–40–69–77–18) is Nantes’s principal concert hall and opera house.
THE OUTDOORS IN NANTES
You can take a 100-minute cruise along the pretty Erdre River, past a string of gardens and châteaux, with the Bateaux Nantais.
There are also four-course lunch and dinner cruises that last about 2½ hours (€54–€89). | Quai de la Motte Rouge | 44000 | 02–40–14–51–14 | www.bateaux-nantais.fr | €10 | June–Aug., daily at 3:30 and 5; May and Sept., daily at 3:30; Mar., Apr., Oct., and Nov., Sun. at 3:30.
SHOPPING IN NANTES
The commercial quarter of Nantes stretches from Place Royale to Place Graslin. Various antiques shops can be found on Rue Voltaire. The Devineau family has been selling wax fruit and vegetables at Devineau (2 pl. Ste-Croix | 44000) since 1803, as well as handmade candles and wildflower honey. For chocolate, head to Gautier-Debotté (9 rue de la Fosse | 44000 | gautier-debotte.com); try the local Muscadet grapes dipped in brandy and covered with chocolate.
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Eating and Drinking Well in Brittany
EATING AND DRINKING WELL IN BRITTANY
Brittany is a land of the sea. Surrounded on three sides by water, it’s a veritable trove of fish and shellfish. These aquatic delights, not surprisingly, dominate Breton cuisine, but crêpes, lamb, and butter also play starring roles.
Maritime headliners include coquilles St-Jacques (scallops); langoustines, which are something between a large shrimp and a lobster; and oysters,